Last week, yours truly Onboard Magazine travelled to the Austrian valley of Montafon for an all-new event concept called Nike Snake & Hammers. Nike and the Montafon had conjured up a banked slalom cum slopestyle course that was open to everyone who felt like a few fast turns, slow spins, and slushy transitions. The aim was to snake down course as fast as possible while dropping their best „hammers“ along the way. The course was a combination of numerous turns and banks, the park included a stairset, side by side kicker setup, big bowl, a gap through a snow tunnel to a straight rail, a creative halfpipe and a small hip. In our humble opinion, it was the laid-back park design that made the event stand out, as punters, media, and pros alike were eager to get their edges dug into the banked turns and snake pipe walls.

Stephan Maurer on course! Photo: Cyril Müller

Despite the challenging weather on the first three days (snowfalls and high fog) the vibe was outstanding, as the course was as inviting and fun to ride as it gets. On the day of the finals the sun came out, many pros and legends alike turned up and made for an unforgettable day on the mountain. Nike pros like Peetu Piiroinen, Jamie Nicholls, Kevin Backström and Spencer O’Brien were joined by an illustre crew of riders like David Bertschinger Karg, Enzo Nilo, Stephan Maurer, Nico Droz, David Benedek and Steve Gruber.

Peetu Piiroinen is attracted to big kickers. Phto: Cyril Müller

When the judging was complete on the day of the finals, Christian Haller (SUI) showed he had the best mix of balance, speed and tricks winning him a share of the $10,000 prize purse. With a race time of 01:25,10, frontside lipslide on the gap downrail, frontside 720 tailgrab off the kicker and many other tricks he claimed a deserved win. Spencer O’Brien won the women’s contest by snaking down the course with her well documented power and style with the best hammer award going to Jamie Nicholls who threw a perfectly stomped backside 1080 off the kicker.

Snake & Hammers winner Christian Haller coming out of the tunnel of doom. Photo: Cyril Müller

MEN
1. Christian Haller / SUI 2. Stephan Maurer / SUI 3. Peetu Piiroinen / FIN

WOMEN
1. Spencer O’Brien / CAN 2. Nicola Thost / GER 3. Aline Bock / GER

BEST HAMMER: Jamie Nicholls / ENG

Further information about the contest and the complete ranking are published on www.snakeandhammers.com.

A bird’s eye view of the park. Photo: Cyril Müller

Last weekend the Euphoria world premiere went down during the Hotzone.tv Opening in Zillertal. On Friday and Saturday the movie was presented to the industry and the public in two different locations. The Argon guys were happy with the outcome and to finish their project after an intense time! From now on the flick is available at www.euphoria4free.com! Go and get it!

The weekend started on Friday evening with an awesome dinner in the Bergfriedalm. Argon Riders like Herby Thaler, Steve Gruber, Flo Heim, Tom Tramnitz, Alex Walch, Chris Cab and parts of the production crew met up with the industry, partners and pros to warm up before the world premiere of EUPHORIA! Afterwards, the town hall of Lanersbach was the place of choice and the audience was served by the Monster Pinups, who offered free drinks before Chris Cab and Muck Müller introduced the movie. The crowd was stoked on the movie and continued the party at the downtown Tenne until sunrise.

Saturday was all about shredding on the glacier and enjoying the atmosphere and sidevents of the Hotzone.tv Glacier Opening. At night the EUPHORIA public movie premiere took place at the uptown Hohenhaus Tenne during the Rhythm Opening night.

All together it was a really cool weekend with a lot of positive feedback for the crew, the riders and all people involved.

Today is finally the day – download the movie for free and make up your own opinion! Just go to www.euphoria4free.com, choose your format and start the download!

The first EUPHORIA movie premiere stop went down but there are some more parties to come! Stay tuned at www.euphoria4free.com or follow us on Facebook!

Michi Stanschitz / The Incredible Project, Sölden. Photo: Rudi Wyhlidal

The beginning for the „EUPHORIA“ project marked a cozy gathering in the Zillertal early last winter. A bunch of film enthusiasts met to discuss how to realize a well produced movie, which should motivate the people to go snowboarding even without showing 40-stairs-rails or triple corks. Additionally the movie should be based on sessions rather than on classic rider-parts and it should cover all aspects of snowboarding.

The right mix of different riding styles, characters and ages is crucial for a project like this and these guys are the chosen ones who were predestined to show their action all around the globe! Chris Kröll, Rudi Kröll, Mario Wanger, Tom Klocker, Herby Thaler, Michi Stanschitz, Fips Gruber, Dominik Wagner, Flo Heim, Alex Walch, Tom Tramnitz, Jocki Köffler, Steve Gruber and Chris Cab.

Phips Gruber. Photo: Roland Haschka

No movie without a story! This meant one week of shooting in Tirol and Salzburg, with almost all riders, many random actors and a production crew of up to nine persons. As you read this, the postproduction is still working hard and EUPHORIA is almost done. Expect some gorgeous girls, a lot of tattoos, a funny story without a real meaning and of course heavy snowboarding!

See you on one of the premiers but first lean back and enjoy the teaser as this is going to be EPIC!!

www.euphoria4free.com

www.vimeo.com/argonfilms

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Argon-Films/197505483618646

Jocki Köffler at the Kitzsteinhorn. Photo: Roland Haschka

[UPDATE - NOW WITH VIDEO!]

The kick-ass park from the top. On course are the self-proclaimed 'worst team in the contest' - the Fat Ankles. Or Serge's Sputum. Or one of the other 300 names they seemed to have for themselves.

The Ästhetiker’s flagship contest wrapped up early due to heavy snowfall, with the team comprised of the elder statesmen of Austrian snowboarding – Steve Gruber, Friedl Kolar and Rudi Kröll – coming out victorious in the innovative Gäng Jäm. Read more…

If there’s one ‘contest’ on the planet that sums up the true spirit of snowboarding best, it’s the Wängl Tängl. In its 9th year, this bro-down in Mayrhofen is in turns fun, drunk, chaotic, progressive, innovative, confusing. And more. But when boiled down you can encapsulate the whole shebang in one word – AWESOME.

Adrian Krainer. Photo: Alex Papis.

Let’s face it – if we wanted laser precision and sobriety we’d be ass-banging the FIS till the cows came home. And then we’d get the cows involved themselves. The beauty of the Wängl is that it manages to combine the creative passion most snowboarders can relate to with the chaotic elements of living on the fly that all snowboarders can relate to. Hell, the contest was wrapped up a day before it was supposed to start due to imminent bad weather, but as they say: “It’s on when it’s on!”

As has become the norm with the Wängl, the Ästhetiker boys had been given free reign of the Vans Penken Park and set about sculpting a masterpiece of innovative shred terrain. Regular straigntforward booters, transfers, jibs and a double hip/cradle/wallride/gap-over endsection meant there was a multitude of lines riders could take and though triple corking mega spins were absent the riders were ensuring that the pedigree of style was continued as they destroyed the setup.

Gäng Jämmin.

The call it a contest. That’s a pretty loose term. The official line is it’s a team event with 3 riders per crew competing for a slice of the eurodollar shaped pie. In reality it’s all about buddies shredding together, getting stoked on each other’s efforts, and trying to emerge unscathed when there’s 2 other duders hitting the park at the same time. Seriously, it was all about the gameplan at the top of the course, with teams plotting who’d hit what where and in which direction in an effort to prevent spanking into each other as most teams tried to ride only a couple metres apart. “On you’re left!” “Spinning right!” that was the kind of stuff you’d hear on course. Now imagine this with a belly full of schnapps from the Evil Dr Fenkenstein. Danger, Danger.

Mone Monsberger. Legend!

But these guys are true pros and although there were a couple of injuries most teams emerged unscathed. It has to be said that this was by far the most enjoyable contest we hit up this season. Maybe it’s something to do with becoming desensitised to the double dipping übercoptering that is so hot in major events these days but here, although Clemens Schattschneider was dropping double 10s into his team’s run, most guys seemed happy to send slow 3s, 5s and 7s and get their jib on. Special mention must also go to the UK’s Billy Morgan for his awesome Miller Flips over the end section’s wallride; Andre Kuhlmann‘s huge pop tarts on the hip, Mone Monsberger‘s one-footers on the wallride, and a dude who’s name we missed throwing double backies with gay abandon.

Tobi Strauss. Photo: Erwin Polanc.

To be honest, it was a nightmare to try and follow what was happening in the comp. Figuring out what one guy’s doing down the course it no biggie but when there’s three on course at once it’s pretty hard to keep up. God only knows how they managed to judge it. But judge it they did and despite some strong challenges from last year’s winners, Team Absolut, and another team of locals, The Djudes, the crack team of veteran Ästhetiker hombres known as Team 96 (named so as their combined age is 96-years-old) – made up of Steve Gruber, Friedl Kolar and Rudi Kröll – had the style, the synchronicity and the stomps to see them top the pile.

Then it was time to check the insane skateboarding, bop heads to the beats and skull a couple cold ones with friends celebrating the spirit the Ästhetiker live for. Next year’s gig, if we’re not mistaken, will be the 10-year anniversary so we’re looking forward to what they come up with for that already.

Results Wängl Tängl 2011

Snowboard:
1. TeÄm 96 (Steve Gruber, Rudi Kröll, Friedl Kolar) AUT
2. The Djudes (Chris Kröll, Mario Wanger, Flo Heim)AUT
3. Team Absolut (Michi Stanschitz, Philipp Gruber, Thomas Minichberger) AUT

Here’s how Mone Monsberger breaks it down:

“Last year we filmed a lot in Zillertal again, in the ‘Ästhetiker Playground’ the whole crew made it to some sessions. Check out: Herby Thaler, Simon Schweiger, Rudi Kröll, Ck, Beckna, Wolle, Steve Gruber, Walter Fanninger, Friedl Kolar, Jocki Köffler, Anne Flore Marxer, Georg Huber, Michi Stanschitz… in action! enjoy!”

Click play to enjoy some pow pow funtimes this Friday arvo.

“This time on Tell Ä Vision: Check out the Ä-Crew shredding in Zauchensee! Enjoy!”

Featured riders: Simon Schweiger, Walter Fanninger, wolle Nybelt, Steve Gruber, Fips Gruber, Herby Thaler, Michael Stanschitz, Michael Putz, Rudi Kröll

More information and old episodes on www.aesthetiker.com.